The Christmas season spawns a plethora of holiday movie-goers, but for those who either lack funds or simply prefer vegging on the couch, there are several movies on cable TV one can count on to be aired. Some may have outlived their welcome, true, but I can’t deny the nostalgia that accompanies them. Memories of my childhood–that’s what they are. Watching them again as an adult sparks . . . interesting — if not downright disenchanting — opinions; however, I can easily bury those thoughts with hot chocolate and sweets that have no nutritional value.

So, in honor of the cold nights indoors watching movie reruns while the countdown to unwrapping presents ticks in the back of my mind, here’s a miraculously brief list of my favorite Christmas films. FYI, it’s not ranked so don’t twist your britches into candy canes or anything. Continue reading ‘Tis the Season→

To celebrate the year’s spooookiest week, Staff Writer Jeremiah, (who was fired and then self-rehired), Game Editor Brian, and myself are getting together to watch scary movies while we stuff our faces with candy. Why? Because explanation.

Some mornings I wake up, and resolve myself to treat (or trick) the day as if it were the greatest day of all: Halloween. And I don’t know whether it’s because of today’s dreary, overcast sky above Wichita, or Film Editor Christine’s recent article, “Putting Faces to our Nightmares,” but today is one of those days. Thus have I been inspired to compile a list of my top ten favorite monster movies. Let’s set the mood, shall we?

Here’s that all-time classic tune we all know and love, by Bobby “Boris” Pickett:

“No matter how many weapons you have, no matter how great your technology might be, the world cannot live without love.”-Sheeta, Laputa: Castle in the Sky

Greetings! It’s been a while I know; school’s started again and the weight of a thousand souls that have yet to pass on are keeping me busy. That, and I’m just the laziest boy on the face of the earth. But here I am again, and I thought I’d take some time to talk about a film that’s quite close to my heart and those of many others. If the title of the article didn’t give it away, it’s called, Laputa: Castle in the Sky.

“Yes, get me the General. I need Tyler Bauer killed for his sorry attempts at humor.”

Greetings, superhero fans! Today I’ll be discussing the Marvel movies that are included in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). I am not a “super” fan, as I have not read any of their comics, but I like to think that I am a little bit of a fanboy. So, I’ll be ranking all the currently released movies of the MCU, and talk about why I rank them the way I do.

It’s crazy how Thursdays of late have been creeping up on me. You might even say scary. What’s that? You did say scary? Scary movies? Horror movies? You want me to talk about horror movies!?!!? Well, if you insist.

The first movie that truly horrified me was Gore Verbinski’s The Ring (2002) (which is, unfortunately, a really underrated movie, by the way). After seeing the mangled face of a person killed by the vengeful spirit of Samara, my ten-year-old self became deathly paranoid of TVs. It was a strange, strangely “balanced” time in my life: during the day, the television would be switched on, and I’d be happily, mindlessly watching Dragon Ball Z or playing Xbox.

But once the night came ’round, and bedtime SCOFF, BEDTIMES with it, the TV was shut down. It’s blank, monolithic face seemed to expand in the dim light of my bedroom. I was, unmistakably, terrified, that Samara would crawl out of the TV and eat my face with 480p precision. I even recall getting my brother to watch VHS videos ahead of me, to make sure it wasn’t THE video.

Guillermo del Toro is a Mexican screenwriter, director, and producer whom I first remembered from the unique Pan’s Labyrinth (2006)–which both awed and creeped me out. In a good way. 🙂 Others might know him first from Hellboy (2004), or, more recently, Pacific Rim (2013).

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